When You're Gone
by slightlysarcastic
Summary: Happy and more in love than ever, Bella has finally gotten used to her new life. However, what happens when her best friend, Jacob Black, goes missing? And what happens when Renesmee goes missing with him? MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!


**Disclaimers:** I do not own _Twilight_, the Cullens, the Swans, or anyone else included in the novel series. They rightfully belong to author Stephenie Meyer.

**WARNING!!:** This fanfiction takes place after the fourth book in the saga, "Breaking Dawn". If you have not read the book, then I suggest you do not continue beyond this point. However, if you do not mind the spoilers, then go right ahead. Don't say I didn't warn you.

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**When You're Gone  
**

Prelude

By slightlysarcastic

_My mother: when my patience was at its end,  
hers had just begun._

_- David Wesley Soper _

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"You must be tired," he whispered into her ear. Although she was now one of them, she never got tired of hearing his voice or having his breath in her face. He still had the same affect on her, whether she was human or a vampire.

"No, I don't need sleep, remember?" She reminded him, wrapping her arms tighter around his waist. "Besides, Renesmee can take care of herself now." And it was true. Their beautiful young daughter no longer needed to be under her parents' supervision. As a half-vampire, she grew much faster than normal human babies. At the tender age of five, she had the mental capacity of a fifteen-year-old.

"Oh yes, I've forgotten about that." Edward Cullen smiled at his wife, the same smile that got her heart beating faster by the second (if her heart still did in the first place, anyway).

"We have some time to ourselves..." Bella suggested as she drew light patterns on his bare chest. They were sprawled across their bed (although Bella never really knew why they needed one in the first place), with their legs tangled together. Bella could hardly even distinguish where Edward ended and where she began. Then Edward grinned again.

He kissed her with so much passion that she couldn't even think straight.

Right, so _this_ is what the bed was for.

Then, Edward's lips stopped his sweet assault on hers. "It's awfully quiet, don't you think?" Bella turned over onto her back and listened carefully. It was true, usually she'd be able to hear the sound of Renesmee's heart beating or her breathing. However, at the moment she couldn't hear any signs of her daughter at all.

"Do you think she's off with Jacob?" Bella reasoned.

"We'd still hear her." Edward's voice was now hard and his body suddenly stiff. Within seconds, Bella could no longer feel his warmth next to her. Pushing herself off the soft surface of the mattress, she followed her husband down the stairs. "Call Carlisle. And maybe get Alice on the phone."

Bella and Edward decided that it'd probably be best if they moved out of Carlisle and Esme's home to get one of their own. It proved to be helpful, since they had more time for themselves and Renesmee had the freedom to live off her teenager phase. Bella had always thought that it was rather strange. Her physically five-year-old daughter was talking to her vampire friends about boys and what they'd do during the summer after school ended.

Before Bella could even reach the phone, it was already ringing. "Alice!" Bella breathed, pressing the device to her ears.

"I saw," two simple words brought the distraught mother even more distress than she was experiencing just seconds ago. "Renesmee, I mean." Alice's high-pitched yet beautiful voice rang from the other line.

"Where is she?" Bella said instantly, barely giving Alice enough time to breathe (not that she needed that time anyway).

"I don't know." Her sister-in-law said after a short pause. Bella looked up with worry etched on her face only to meet the eyes of her God of a husband. Edward looked just as upset as she was. "I'm sorry! Everything was so blurry. I could only make out Renesmee's figure...but I _do_ know she was with someone."

"Someone?" Edward said when he snatched the phone from Bella's hands. "Do you have an idea of who it was? Someone dangerous?" If Bella weren't a vampire, she probably wouldn't have heard those questions as Edward was speaking so fast.

"No, I don't think he was dangerous. He was holding her in his arms. It was almost like he was protecting her." Alice said matter-of-factly. "Edward, I am so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Edward said with a sigh. He felt better knowing that someone was there to protect his young daughter. However, who could it be? Then, his eyes snapped up towards his wife who was almost in tears. "…Jacob."

Who else would it be?

Bella moved into the kitchen faster than a fat kid would eat his birthday cake. Whipping out her cell phone, she dialed the familiar number that she had called so many times during the past month. "Jacob!" She shouted immediately when her phone call rang in. However, the voice she was greeted with did not belong to Jacob Black.

"Bella?" It was Billy. "What is it? You sound uneasy."

"Where's Jacob?!" Bella asked and her voice was still as loud as it was the first time. She ignored the fact that she was being completely rude for not giving him a proper greeting.

"Jacob? I'll get him for you." Another pause. "I guess he's not home. What is this regarding?"

Bella dropped the phone. "Jacob's not home, Edward." Edward was by her side within seconds. "Do you think he's the one with her?"

"It's got to be him. He can't leave her alone for more than ten minutes."

Although Bella felt somewhat relieved that her daughter was in the responsible and strong hands of her werewolf best friend, she couldn't seem to shake off the feeling of nervousness that settled down at the pit of her stomach.

Even Edward's feathery touch didn't help her now.


End file.
